Blaze of Glory
by Blaze Lanigan
Summary: Join the band, Blaze of Glory, as they try to make it to the big time. Will Spot's ego get in the way? What about an amorous feud between the two guitar players? Or the battle with NKOTB fans? Will I stop asking questions? Read and find out!
1. Default Chapter

  
Hello and welcome to the madness! Let me tell you a little about this fiction. It's from the crazy minds of Blaze and Filly. It's totally just for fun, though we did do some research for the year that it takes place - 1994. But there wasn't an abundance of research, nor is there an abundance of dramatic, beautifully written fiction. This is purely a fun fiction for laughs. Please remember that! There is a cover band of Bon Jovi called Blaze of Glory that has been hoping for a record deal for some time. The members are all college-aged, so there's bound to be tons of mischief, mayhem, and fun all around. I invite you to read on and hopefully laugh!  
  


* * *

  
Cast List:  
Blaze of Glory Band:  
Lead Singer - Spot Conlon  
Lead Guitar - Phyllis (Filly) Ingles  
Bass - James (Skittery) Dennizon  
Drums - Gabrielle (Blaze) Lanigan  
Rhythm and keyboards: Dominic (Bumlets) Cantolla  
  
Band Friends:  
Band Manager - Autumn Knight  
Samantha (Books) Simmons  
Rebecca (Stage) Vechhi  
Catalina (Cats) MacMillan  
Celeste (Star) Piccinino  
Jessica (Bookie) Armont  
Charlie (Holiday) Blackett  
Emily (Busy) Karol  
  
Band Enemies:  
Sonia (Illusion) Lenin  
Leila (Midnight) Varzideh  
Tara (Spin) Quinn  
  
Spot Groupies:  
Mary (Brenna) Mattingly  
Jessica (Soaker) Bricking  
Shandra (Tinker)  
Jeanne (Whistles) Whistler  
  
Fans of Non-Rock Bands:  
Felicia (Firecracker) Williams  
Jess (Stress) Lynch  
Claire (Moth) Masterson  
Colleen (Kaa)  
Aurelia (Martini) Parker  
  


_  
  
  
  
-//-Chapter 1-\\-_   
  
"I wake up in the morning   
And I raise my weary head   
I've got an old coat for a pillow   
And the earth was last night's bed   
I don't know where I'm going   
Only God knows where I've been   
I'm a devil on the run   
A six gun lover   
A candle in the wind"

  
The 5 members of 'Blaze of Glory', all strummed, played, beat, or sung the hell of out there instruments of choice. Four college students and a pizza delivery boy; All playing like they were on stage in front of millions and millions of fans.  
  


"When you're brought into this world   
They say you're born in sin   
Well at least they gave me something   
I didn't have to steal or have to win   
Well they tell me that I'm wanted   
Yeah, I'm a wanted man   
I'm a colt in your stable   
I'm what Cain was to Abel   
Mister catch me if you can"

  
  
Skittery Dennizon, overlooked, unnoticed Bass Guitarist; He strummed his guitar like no man had strummed a bass before. Yet it wasn't he that had the groupies, it wasn't he that had a new girl in his bed every night... er... day, as it usually was by the time their band finished rehearsing, or playing at one of there rare gigs.  
  


"Chorus:   
I'm going down in a blaze of glory   
Take me now but know the truth   
I'm going out in a blaze of glory   
Lord I never drew first   
But I drew first blood   
I'm no one's son   
Call me young gun"

  
  
Blaze Lanigan beat the skins of her second-hand drum kit, just like Tico Torres. Her blue eyes, almost moving like a blue wave over the ocean, with the beat of the music. The beat controlled and overpowered her life. She lived just for the beat. The only way for a drummer to be!  
  


"You ask about my conscience   
And I offer you my soul   
You ask if I'll grow to be a wise man   
Well I ask if I'll grow old   
You ask me if I've known love   
And what it's like to sing songs in the rain   
Well, I've seen love come   
And I've seen it shot down   
I've seen it die in vain"

  
  
Bumlets Cantolla let his fingers dance over the keys of his Yamaha keyboard. Dave Bryan would be shocked if he saw the way Bumlets mastered the 'board. Bumlets just knew. He was destined for greatness... a certainty most couldn't imagine. Bumlets knew!  
  


"Solo" 

  
  
Filly played the lead guitar, her fingers moving like lighting over the neck of her 'Fender Strat'. Her lips pouty with her practiced 'Come-hither-and-ravish-me' look, while her mind was playing with the possibility that she was be the first female guitarist that was known as the greatest rock guitarist the world has ever seen.  
  


"Each night I go to bed   
I pray the Lord my soul to keep   
No I ain't looking for forgiveness   
But before I'm six foot deep   
Lord, I got to ask a favor   
And hope you'll understand   
'Cause I've lived life to the fullest   
Let this boy die like a man   
Staring down a bullet   
Let me make my final..."

  
  
Spot Conlon almost swallowed the microphone with his lips. His hip was sticking out to the left, his right foot tapping with the beat, he looked more like he had a thing for Mick Jagger then as the lead singer of 'Blaze of Glory'.  
  


"Stand..."

  
  
Spot let the finally word draw out as he practiced his stage presence. The rest of the band had already finished the song, but Spot, the attention-seeking, microphone whore that he was, was still going, windmilling his arms like he was Jon Bon Jovi or something!  
  
Filly, rested her guitar, Skittery followed suit, Bumlets turned off his keyboard. They all glared about Spot, and Blaze's drumsticks went flying from her hand to crack Spot on the back of the head. "SHADDUP!" Blaze called, moving out from behind her kit.  
  
Spot shut up and rubbed the back of his head pouting mutinously at Blaze. "I'm the only thing that gets this band any gigs," Spot said pompously. Skittery scowled his patented 'I'm going to kill you' glare. Bumlets chuckled at the stupidity of that statement. Blaze went to pick up her stick, resisting the urge to whack him over the head again. And Filly snorted loudly.  
  
"Correction. You're the only thing that gets us free pizzas anytime we want," Filly stated.  
  
Spot scoffed at her. "Free pizzas and worshippers for the band!" he growled. Honestly, it was just hard work being Spot Conlon, singer extraordinare, and God to women.  
  
Skittery shot him another look. "So then, pizza boy, go get us some grub."  
  
Shaking his head, Spot packed up his microphone in a special case, which he kept safely guarded. You know those jealous singers. They might come and tamper with his property to make him look bad. "Pizza it is. 'Sides, one of my girls is working tonight, and I want to pay her a visit," he grinned cockily and strutted out of the garage.  
  
Jumping in his white 1989 Oldsmobile, or as he called it, the 'Lovemobile', Spot revved the abused engine and sped off down the street.  
  
While the rest of the crew put away their instruments, Blaze headed into the house and up to the second floor and into her room where she proceeded to put on, none other than Bon Jovi. There was a certain sequence in Blaze of Glory that she needed to get down, and she never knew how to 'just say no' to practicing. It was just in her blood to work that hard. She ate, slept, and breathed Bon Jovi and would have it no other way.  
  
Skittery, Filly, Bumlets, Blaze, and their manager Autumn shared a rented house in Keansburg, New Jersey, just a few short miles from Jon Bon Jovi's house. The two-story house was crammed in a small neighborhood, but the band mates loved it. The only reason they settled on the house was for its garage space. They were all currently enrolled in Monmouth University, a college with a breathtaking campus in Long Branch, New Jersey. And then there was Spot, who decided that he didn't need college with his singing skills and good looks. He still lived with his parents and worked at the Danny's Pizzaria off Route 35.  
  
Skittery followed Filly and Bumlets into the house and headed for the fridge. Bumlets decided to make a run to the store for a beer supply for the night, and Filly turned up the downstairs stereo as she did her best air guitar impression.  
  
Skittery stuck his head over the top of the fridge to watch Filly jam on to an entire air stadium, on an air stage with an air band. Shaking his head he ducked back into the fridge coming out moments later arms full of food.  
  
As he proceeded to make the biggest sandwich man had ever seen, he considered his bands mates.  
  
He, Bumlets, Spot, and Snoddy had started the band out of high school. Planning on being the biggest thing from New Jersey since Bon Jovi. Skittery and Bumlets had then met Blaze at College.  
  
One look at Blaze and you could tell she was a rock junkie. Although first glance you'd take her for a groupie with her long blonde her and blue eyes. Skittery had first thought her the type of girl that screamed and threw their underwear on stage.  
  
That had been why Skittery had asked to sit in on a practise. Seeing that they were just starting out, and Spot already had a flock of groupies from high school, Skittery had decided it was time to start he's own groupie... flock. So to practise she was invited.  
  
That's where Blaze had shocked him the first time. She'd been sitting, watching, trying not to wince as visibly as she would have liked, when the group had gone instead to get 'refreshment'. Well obviously that wasn't what they were going to do, they were going to talk about Blaze becoming a groupie.  
  
But when they had come out, Blaze was sitting on the drum kit, the one they kept at the back for show like the were an actual band, with an actual drummer, and she was pounding the skins getting a pretty good sound from them. Seemed Blaze's father had played drums, and Blaze had picked up a few tricks. Seemed like, they needed Blaze in the band!  
  
So join the band she did. But the more Blaze played, the more it proved the boys sucked. That's when the fights started. Then, as always, since the, like, beginning of history, one of the band members, Snoddy, drama-queen that he was, stormed off and left the band. This left the band without a lead guitarist, and positively up shit's creek.   
  
This time it was Bumlets that came to the rescue. He took a music appreciation class at college, considering he was majoring in Music, and in his class was a girl that could 'play guitars like a demon'. Only problem was she was from like... Austria and might not be able to speak English... or ... something.  
  
But it wasn't like they were rife with people offering to be there lead guitar player. So Bumlets, relieved in finding out that she came from Australia and not Austria, and thus speak English, offered her an audition.  
  
Seemed not only could Filly bust a mean guitar riff from anything that looked remotely like a guitar but she was also a rock fan.  
  
Between her and Blaze he was sure they had the entire Bon Jovi collection, not to mention all Ac/Dc on CD and Vinyl, a few Kiss, Cheap Trick, Metillica, Def Leppard, Poison, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, Van Halen, and thanks to Blaze, all The Doors albums.  
  
At the sound of a car pulling up in the drive, Filly ran from the house screaming, "SPOT!!" Skittery noticed a frown automatically crawling up his face, But two minutes later Filly came running back into the house, her tongue practically hanging out of her mouth, as she held three pizza boxes in front of her, like an offering to some kind of pizza god.  
  
Gently placing the boxes on the table... slowly... slowly... she opened the lid, and with a ravenous look, she yanked a large piece of cheese pizza out and tried to swallow it whole. Spot coming in behind her with a scowl, not able to believe he was over-looked for pizza. Okay... so... like he had hundreds of groupies that adored him, and like... he would EVER sleep with Filly, but still, it was the principal of the thing.  
  
After she'd devoured the first piece, Filly took a second, a little more demurely then before, looked at Skittery, as he watched her, and she shrugged, "Go on... eat.." Then she danced off up the stairs to tell Blaze of the arrival of the pizza.  
  
"Pizzaaa! Pizzaaaa! Pizzaaaa!" Blaze came bounding down the stairs like Macauley Culkin in Home Alone at Filly's words, flailing her arms and all. She grabbed two slices, which she craftily stuffed in her mouth, and then grabbed two more, balanced them in her hands, and made her way to the couch to swallow her free dinner.  
  
Later that night, Skittery was idly sitting on the couch, wondering why he could play bass with the best of him, yet his talent went unappreciated. Meanwhile Spot, whose voice needed some tuning, had women sucking his face off everyday. Filly was resting after her affair with the three pizza boxes, and Blaze and Bumlets had disappeared upstairs with a case of beer.  
  
And thus ends chapter one! Hope you enjoyed reading!  



	2. Chapter Two

_

-//-Chapter 2-\\-

_   
  
"And IIIII, will love you, alwaaaaays…" came a drunken, off-key voice from the upstairs of the band's house.   
  
"Not again," Skittery groaned.   
  
Filly quickly grabbed another beer. She knew this was going to be a long night.   
  
The off-key voice belonged to a drunken Bumlets, who felt a need to belt out a Bon Jovi love song whenever he was feeling emotional. They never did understand how Blaze could take the sound of his voice when he was drunk. She must have been rather plastered herself to withstand it.   
  
"That fellas, is what gets you strangled and dumped in an unmarked grave." Filly noted pointing up the stairs where Bumlets and Blaze were currently occupying.   
  
Skittery nodded and even 'amen'd' Filly's sentiments.   
  
Spot on the other hand had a vacuum attached to his neck, although most people referred to them as groupies.   
  
"I wonder if they are going to break anything like they did last weekend. It was a pretty good table too." Skittery mused having gone all reflective after his 4th beer.   
  
"JESUS!! MY GUITAR IS UP THERE!" Filly said, having no conscious recognition of volume control, she'd lost that after her second beer.   
  
"No it isn't... it's in the garage!" Skittery said, just as reflectively and mellow as moments before.   
  
"NOT THAT ONE! The acoustic one! The one that… um... some guy signed..." Filly stumbled, not wasted enough to EVER reveal that secret.   
  
Filly scrambled through the kitchen, and lounge room, and took the steps two at a time. "OUTTA THE WAY!! OUTTA THE WAY!! GET BACK!" Filly hollered, in case Blaze and Bumlets were doing something she didn't want to witness.   
  
Just to make sure she covered her face with her arms and powers through the hall to her room, opening the door, thrilled to pieces that no one was in there... before she slammed it shut again and locked it.   
  
It was safe, her very first guitar, that Barry Gibbs of the Bee Gee's had signed was now locked safely in her room. Okay... so... she couldn't unlock the door from the outside... she'd just crash in the lounge room, as if that wasn't her plan anyway, then she'd get Skittery to climb up the outside and unlock her door from the inside.   
  
It wasn't like she couldn't do it herself, Filly thought with a slight smile as she relaxed against the door of her room. She just liked it better when Skittery did things for her - especially when she stood at the bottom and watched his progress. Filly schooled her wickedly twitching lips into a modest grin, just in case he fell... obviously.   



	3. Chapter Three

_

-//-Chapter 3-\\-

_  
  
"This _better_ be worth my time," Race grumbled. He followed Autumn into the old house and raised his nose at the smell. A band definitely lived there.  
  
"It is worth your time, Race. Blaze of Glory is fantastic!" Autumn grinned. She was great at promoting, which is exactly why the band had hired her to manage their music. She could make even the worst band sound as good as Aerosmith. Through her connections, Autumn had found Race – the cousin of the best friend of the sister of the manager of Bon Jovi. After much coercing, Race had agreed to hear the band play, and if he liked them, he might just use his own connections to get a demo tape to the manager of Bon Jovi.  
  
As Autumn walked into the living room, she saw Spot with a vacuum still stuck to him, Skittery in another one of his contemplating moods, and Filly was sprawled across the recliner, holding a beer on her stomach as she belched out 'Runaway'.  
  
"Guys!" Autumn hissed, throwing her hands up in the air. They _knew_ she was bringing over someone to hear them play tonight. Why oh why did they have to act like this tonight?!  
  
Filly was the first to notice new faces in the room. In an attempt to get up, she gracelessly fell out of the recliner and climbed to her feet. "Hey Auty!" Her sleepy eyes moved to the small Italian in the room and she smiled slyly. "And friend… Who's this?"  
  
"_This_," Autumn accented, "is Race, remember? The wonderful man who has agreed to hear you play?" Okay so he was still rather young and not really a 'man' per se, and he was hardly wonderful, since Autumn had to do major ass kissing to get him here, but she had to butter him up, especially after the band's appearance this night.  
  
Filly stared at her like she had never heard Autumn say this before.  
  
Sighing, Autumn tried again. "The cousin of the best friend of the sister of the manager of Bon Jovi, remember?"  
  
In an instant, Skittery had snapped out of his daze, Spot had pushed away his personal vacuum cleaner, and Filly was at Race's feet, about ready to kiss his shoes.  
  
"For christ sakes, get everyone together and play for him!" Autumn shouted.  
  
Filly and Skittery both raced towards the garage door, while Spot sauntered behind them. He was too cool to run, of course. For his talent, Race could wait. Spot turned on his heel, blew a kiss to the auburn-haired girl whom had given him such delight, and turned back to the door.  
  
Autumn sighed. "Wait, where's…"  
  
Ironically, just as Autumn started to ask that question, the pounding of feet could be heard upstairs, followed by laughter. _No, please no… Not tonight…_  
  
Autumn caught sight of a bare brown-skinned bottom racing into a room down the hall, which was followed by a slam of the door and massive giggling. _Damnit_, she sighed. "Race, why don't you go get comfortable out in the garage and I'll be right out, okay?"  
  
Rolling his eyes, Race nodded and headed for the garage. He opened the door just in time to hear Spot rambling about his singing skills. _This is gonna be a long night_, he thought angrily.  
  
Autumn trudged up the stairs and down the hallway. Well, she was pleased to see that at least this time they weren't using her room to play their game.   
  
"Bumlets! Blaze! Downstairs now! You've got someone here who wants to hear the band!" she shouted and banged her fist against the door several times. _Please, don't be too drunk to play, please!_  
  
She heard a barrage of groans from inside Blaze's bedroom and frowned. "Do you want to get signed someday or not!" she screamed. "Cops and robbers can wait for later! Get down there now and play!"  
  
As Autumn stormed down the stairs in frustration, the door to Blaze's bedroom creaked open, and two figures finally appeared. They raced down the stairs, still finding the right holes to put arms through in their 'Blaze of Glory' t-shirts, nearly toppled Autumn over in the process, and bounded through the door to the garage.  
  
Skittery was slinging the strap of his bass guitar over his shoulder and tuning his perfectly tuned instrument. Spot was bragging, er... warming up his vocal chords. Filly was rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand trying to get the glazed look from her eyes. Not that she was stoned, but it sure looked like it.  
  
Bumlets wiped a smudge of red lipstick from his face and turned his keyboard on, playing a few chords. Blaze pulled her shirt further down her belly and got behind her drum kit.  
  
As Blaze bent down to get the drumsticks she had dropped, she banged her head on the drum kit. Swearing a blue streak, Blaze went silent in shock as the bass drum rolled off the kit and hit Skittery in the back of his leg, making him wobble precariously before somehow managing to right himself.  
  
Spot shook his head disgusted, swinging his microphone around like a rock star, as Filly tried to grab the bass drum, her guitar slung behind her swung forward and crashed into the side of the drum.   
  
Filly and Blaze shared joint concern as Blaze shouted loudly as if trying to stop the impending collusion, as Filly dropped the drum frantically assessing her guitar trying to find even the slightest scratch. Blaze, with a nasty collection of swear words directed at Filly, jumped out from behind her drum kit and checked her precious bass drum.  
  
Bumlets came out from behind his keyboard to help Blaze and got stuck in the stomach by Spots wild microphone stand. Bumlets groaned in pain and Autumn, closed her eyes, hoping if she didn't see it, it didn't actually happen.  
  
Blinking her eyes open a few second later, Bumlets had Spot around the scruff of the neck ready to beat him up, Skittery was watching his two friends with a docile smile on his face, and Blaze and Filly were screaming at each other about the damage to their respective instruments.  
  
With a shudder of impending doom, Autumn let out a shrill whistle, and coughed, hoping to good the beshambled 'Blaze of Glory' would realize just what they were throwing away acting like drunken idiots in front of the cousin of the best friend of the sister of the manager of Bon Jovi.  
  
All 5 band members stopped and stared at a furious-looking Race. Blaze coughed and realized her grip on Filly's hair. Skittery kept his contemplative gaze focused dimly on Race. Bumlets let go his grip on Spot's throat, and Spot sucked the air into his lungs, fleetingly wishing he had the same suction power as Whiskey, his fuck junkie, had moments before. Filly's eyes visible lit up indicating an idea.  
  
"TA DA!" Filly said with a flourish, letting Blaze out of the headlock she'd been halfway through giving her.  
  
Race raised an eyebrow, "Ta... da...?" he didn't look convinced. He wasn't exactly sure what they were trying to convince him of.  
  
Bumlets nodded and said, "Yes, Ta Da! What did you think of our... er..." Bumlets stumbled.  
  
Blaze came to his rescue, "WARM UP SHOW! Yeah!"  
  
Skittery looked between his band mates and Race and then nodded, "Yes… yes..." then he looked down at his bass.  
  
Spot looked between his band mates as well, a frown visibly appearing on his face. "What the hell..." Before he could finish Filly attacked his Steven Tyler, wannabe lips with her own - for the good of the band of course.  
  
Autumn raised a hand to her forehead and looked away. This couldn't get any worse, could it? She sadly thought that way too much. This band just tugged at her last nerve. She was interrupted from her thoughts but Race's elbow in her side.  
  
"Are they gonna play, or can I get out of here?" Race barked. He had important places to be and important people to meet, otherwise known as he had to go pick up his brother at Chuckie Cheese.  
  
"No, no, they're going to play. They just needed to loosen up first," Autumn explained. "They're all set now, right guys?" she asked, hoping by this time they were set up and ready.  
  
At this point Filly ripped her lips from Spot's, discreetly spitting out any residue Spot saliva, and returned to her guitar. Blaze had finally secured the bass drum with the help of Bumlets, and Skittery, who had been ready since the beginning, tapped his foot anxiously.  
  
"We're ready," Spot nodded and winked at Filly. Oh yeah, he knew she wanted him too. No one could resist the Conlonator.  
  
Blaze counted them off and soon they all began to play… different songs… They had created the first ever, Wanted, Always Keep the Bed of Roses In and Out of Love. It was… hard on the ears.  
  
Stopping immediately, the five turned to each other, glared, and mouthed 'Bad Medicine'. Autumn had come up with this plan a long time ago when they couldn't make up their mind about what to play. Whenever they couldn't agree, they had to settle on Bad Medicine.  
  
Again Blaze counted them off and the fun began. Spot brought out his best moves, and actually tried to concentrate on singing, instead of gyrating his hips 100% of the time. Filly skillfully added a few extra patented 'Filly Riffs' to the performance. Skittery kept his fingers in the song, but his mind was far from it, envisioning Filly cleaning Spot's teeth. Bumlets hit the right chords, even if he was still a tad bit drunk, and Blaze kept the rhythm steady as she lost herself in the song like she normally did.  
  


"I ain't got a fever got a permanent disease  
It'll take more than a doctor to prescribe a remedy  
I got lots of money but it isn't what I need  
Gonna take more than a shot to get this poison out of me  
I got all the symptoms count 'em 1,2,3  
First I need  
That's what you get for falling in love  
Then you bleed  
You get a little but it's never enough  
On your knees  
That's what you get for falling in love  
And now this boy's addicted cause your kiss is the drug  
Your love is like bad medicine  
Bad medicine is what I need  
Shake it up, just like bad medicine  
There ain't no doctor that can  
Cure my disease  
Bad, bad medicine  
Bad, bad medicine  
I don't need no needle  
To be diving me a thrill  
And I don't need no anesthesia  
Or a nurse to bring a pill  
I got a dirty down addition  
It doesn't leave a track  
I got a jone for your affection  
Like a money on my back  
There ain't no paramedic  
Gonna save this heart attack  
When you need  
That's what you get for falling in love  
Then you bleed  
You get a little but it's never enough  
On your knees  
That's what you get for falling in love  
Now I'm addicted and your kiss is the drug  
Your love is like bad medicine  
Bad medicine is what I need  
Shake it up, just like bad medicine  
So let's play doctor, baby  
Cure my disease  
Bad, bad medicine  
Bad, bad medicine  
I need a respirator cause I'm running out of breath  
You're an all night generator wrapped is stockings and a dress  
When you find your medicine you take what you can get  
Cause if there's something better baby well thay haven't found it yet  
Your love is like bad medicine  
Bad medicine is what I need"

  
  
Autumn periodically looked over at Race, hoping for approval. At one point it did seem like he had tapped his foot – that was a big accomplishment for the Italian's normal attention span for music.  
  


"Shake it up, just like bad medicine  
There ain't no doctor that can  
Cure my disease  
Your love is like bad medicine  
Bad medicine is what I need  
Shake it up, just like bad medicine  
Your love's the potion that  
Can cure my disease  
Bad, bad medicine  
Bad, bad medicine"

As Blaze of Glory finished the song, the garage went silent, all eyes on the dark-haired figure.  



	4. Chapter Four

_ -//-Chapter 4-\\-_

After what seemed like hours, Race spoke up. "Well, they can play," he nodded. "They've got the band mentality down a little too early though… They shouldn't quite be that wasted just yet. Usually the newer bands are more into appearance and ya know, responsibility… then they are. You might have a time bomb on your hands…" He thought for a moment. Damn, he was good. He picked up the lingo from other managers, and of course, stole it for his own use. Then a thought struck his maniacal mind. Race sort of liked Autumn. She was cute – taken, but cute. Perhaps if he helped her out, she'd return the favor down the line. Mentally patting himself on the back, Race smiled. "Tell ya what. Give me the demo, and I'll see if I can get it to my people."  
  
_ His people?_ Autumn tried hard not to laugh out loud. He didn't have people. He had connections that weren't even friends. Most of the people he knew were by association, and not by his own dry wit. She plastered a wide smile on her face and turned to Filly. "Get the demo! Quick!"  
  
Scrambling into the house, Filly went in search of a demo tape out of their collection. Meanwhile Race flashed Autumn some interesting looks that he called flirting, Autumn pondered over where Jack would take her later on this evening, and the rest of the band stood in silence, each envisioning their dreams coming true. Spot was surrounded by so many women and cars that even Hugh Heffner was jealous. Skittery finally had more than one groupie, Filly had just finished up her own album called Riffalicious, Bumlets was tickling the ivories on his new mega-ultra-huge keyboard, and Blaze was playing beside Tico Torres in their new show 'Dueling Drums'.  
  
After a fit of cursing and loud banging noises, Filly returned with a demo tape, her breath ragged and her appearance rather disheveled. They hadn't actually had to give out a tape in so long, that they were buried under a pile of Spot's dirty clothes that he casually left here each week. Filly only hoped she never had to return to that pile, and a chill ran down her spine as she recalled the freakish experience.  
  
"Filly?" Autumn asked as she gently pulled the tape from her fingers. "Are you okay?"  
  
Shuddering, Filly snapped out of her daze and nodded to Autumn. "Fine… fine…"  
  
Autumn slipped the tape into Race's clingy hands and pulled another smile. "There you go, Race. Thanks again for coming to hear them."  
  
Race nodded. "Sure, sure. Now, would you mind taking me home now? I hate having my roadster in the shop," he signed heavily.  
  
_ What a pill he is_, Autumn thought. His 'roadster' was actually a half white, half puke green 1967 VW Bug that needed a tune up, decent tires, and upholstery that didn't have bullet holes in it. She bet he bought it at one of those seizing auctions that the government had. The horn even played 'La Cucaracha'. "Sure Race, let's go."  
  
Turning to the band, Autumn tried to say goodbye, but figured there wasn't even a point. They were already engrossed in some argument about Spot's dance moves. _Which reminds me, I need to get more Advil on the way back…_  
  
"If I want to shake my ass, I will!" Spot exclaimed.  
  
"You shake your ass too much! People are tired of seeing those cheeks on stage! They want to see your OTHER cheeks!" Filly screamed.  
  
As the fight ensued, Spot's vacuum, a.k.a. Whiskey, opened the door to the garage and invited herself in on the conversation. Perching on one of the speakers, Whiskey's neck began to cramp up as she turned from one person to another each time they spoke. It was almost like she was witnessing a tennis game.  
  
While Spot, Filly, Bumlets, and Blaze yelled back and forth, Skittery pulled himself out of the conversation. He tuned his bass and started to play his own melodies. It always helped to clear his head, especially when everyone else was arguing in front of him.  
  
Whiskey's ears caught the rhythms Skittery was producing, and then her eyes turned to him. Skittery was drawing her in with his melodic tune – she couldn't look away. Before she knew it, she was off the speaker and next to him, smiling as his fingers ran up and down the bass.  
  
Skittery stopped staring at his shoes when he noticed a body next to his. Catching her eyes, Skittery gazed back. He strummed his guitar faster as he looked at Whiskey, her eyes piercing his.  
  
The yelling between the other four had grown in intensity, but Skittery and Whiskey couldn't hear it. Skittery put his bass down, took Whiskey's hand, and they slipped out of the garage, disappearing into the depths of his room upstairs.  
  
Just as they closed the door, the four remaining band members blinked, repeatedly, processing the information that they had just seen. They had finally realized that Skittery had left the room – and with a girl no less!  
  
Spot growled. "Just what does he think he's doing?!" he exclaimed and burst through the door of the garage. The human vacuum was his groupie! Yeah, so he didn't know her actual name. Did that matter? Of course not! It was the principle of the thing.  
  
Filly stood there, lightly strumming her guitar like it was a way to forget about what she had just seen. Skittery never had a girl. She wasn't sure how to take the news. Who was going to open her locked door in the future? She could see Skittery and Whiskey, walking down the aisle of a Las Vegas chapel, while she sat outside her locked door, wondering who would climb up the side of the house, risking injury, just to open the door for her.  
  
Bumlets and Blaze both declared the rehearsal and argument session of Friday night officially closed, and seeing as Filly was off in her own world, they skipped into the house, then clambered up the steps to Blaze's room.  
  
Just as they shut the bedroom door, Spot could be heard banging on Skittery's locked door. He was not about to let Skittery have his groupie that easily. Well, that was until another girl rang the doorbell and Spot forgot what he was so angry about. Soon he was in the backyard with another vacuum attached to his neck.  
  
Filly finally put down her guitar, kissing it as she always did, and dragged her feet inside. Why was she so upset? She should be happy Mr. Grumpy Pants finally had a groupie, shouldn't she? Shaking her head, Filly grabbed a six pack of beer from the fridge and trudged upstairs to her room… which was still locked. "Oh bloody hell…"  
  
And so she sat outside her door, chugging her beer as quickly as she could. She could hear pounding coming from two different rooms and each time there was a distinct giggle, Filly tried to see how much beer she could chug without breathing.  
  
While at times she loved having her own bedroom, tonight she would have preferred to share a room. That way she wouldn't be stranded out in the hall, listening to the festivities. Skittery and Bumlets had originally shared a room, while Filly, Autumn, and Blaze had their own. But as Spot stayed over more and more nights, and Bumlets got in good with the drummer, Bumlets moved into Blaze's room, and Spot bunked with Skittery at times.  
  
It was somewhat lonely, especially considering she was sitting drinking alone, something she had always declared she wouldn't do. That must be why she was so perturbed by the whole Skittery has a groupie thing.   
  
Usually, when she was lonely, she was lonely with Skittery, so in actual fact she wasn't as lonely as she had felt when the loneliness had started... wait? Did that make logical sense or was it just logical to her? Well... really... it didn't matter... she didn't have anyone else to tell about it did she.  
  
She closed her eyes, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" Filly cursed sluringly, she was just waiting to see which of the headboards went through the wall first. Of course there was no thought in her drunken mind that it was kinda perverted, listening to other people getting lucky.  
  
She watched Bon Jovi-shaped fish swim across her eyelids, as they told her they wanted her lead guitar playing abilities, and they were going to suck them out through her nose and send them to the Martians at Roswell so their Bon Jovi Cover Band had more talent. Filly picked up where she had left off belching 'Runaway', thinking of places were she could add a few nifty chords.  
  
Skittery's door squeaked open as Filly's mind was busy focusing all it's energy on retaining her guitar playing abilities from those DASTARDLY Martians. Filly let one eye open as Skittery quizzed, "Filly? What are you doing?"  
  
Filly's other eye came open, not missing the fact that he had just a towel slung around his lean hips. "I locked myself out of the room..." Filly muttered pitifully... she really was starting to feel sorry for herself, she'd long past the 'happy drunk' Filly, and she was now 'Feeling-sorry-for-herself' Filly.  
  
"Why didn't you climb up and unlock it?" Skittery asked. Filly blinked a few times, went cross-eyed, and then blinked again, "I... feel sick..." Filly groaned, sliding sideways down the door holding her stomach. She'd drunk too much. "Could you climb up and unlock it??" Filly moaned pathetically, pouting pleadingly.  
  
Skittery looked back towards his room then down as his toweled state, "Alright... just let me get..."  
  
Filly groaned louder this time, "OHHHHHHH no... no... do it now... PLEASE!!!" Filly begged, hiccuping and then covering her mouth with her hand, dangerously close to being sick.  
  
"Alright... alright. I'll do it now..." Skittery muttered, in-graciously, his eyes nervously on Filly's pale face. Managing... in some way... Filly wasn't even aware of... Filly clawed herself up into a standing position, and followed Skittery down the stairs, out the door, and towards the side of the house, all the while trying to focus her eyes on the scantily clad man in front of her.  
  
As he started climbing up the wall, Filly marveled at how he reminded her of Spiderman, well except for the web bits... and the red spider suit, and the swinging thing Spiderman did... "BE CAREFUL Spider... SKITTERY!" Filly called, hiccuping sickly again, hopping from one foot to the other nervously.  
  
As Skittery got to the window, without thinking, he raised the hand, not holding the window sill, and pushed the window up, just as his towel fluttered down, and landed on Filly's upturned face.  
  
Pushing the towel away, Filly stared up at Skittery, before breaking into giggles. "SKITTERY!!! Your NAKED!" Filly shouted loudly.  
  
As the words left Filly's mouth, the headlights of Autumn's car swung up the driveway, and shined right on Skittery's bare ass. Filly continued to giggle hysterically, as Spot, and his groupie of the minute, Luna, managed to tear themselves away from each other at the mention of the word Naked.  
  
So there they stood, Filly giggling, and holding her stomach. Spot and Luna, looking up, Spot grinning evilly, and Jack and Autumn climbing out of the car, kindly leaving the headlights on high beam.  
  
Swearing all the way, Skittery pulled himself into Filly's room, and a crash was heard on the second floor. Still laughing hysterically, Filly fell to the ground on the lawn... as Spot, Luna, Autumn, and Jack, rushed inside and up the stairs in time to see Skittery yank Filly's door open, and streak across the landing and into his own room, slamming his door shut with some ferocity!  
  
Luna and Spot decided to return to their outdoor 'activities', since the naked show was over. Autumn and Jack grabbed a few wine coolers and retired to the couch in the lounge to watch Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and Filly had finally picked herself off the lawn and stumbled back inside.  
  
Groping up the steps, Filly found her room, and fell into bed. She couldn't tell if the pounding was coming from her head or from headboards crashing into walls, but either way, it was giving her a huge headache. Closing her eyes, all Filly could see were Skittery's cheeks… the ones in back. What was coming over her? Why was she dwelling on the bassist? That's what he was – their bassist, the person Filly hung around with when she was lonely… oh crap. Damn her thoughts. 


	5. Chapter Five

_ -//-Chapter 5-\\-_

  
In the morning, Filly was the first to awaken. Her eyes fluttered open, then abruptly shut once the sunlight decided to glare at her. Oh how she hated the sun in the morning. It was nothing but trouble. Cursing under her breath, Filly rolled out of bed and hit the floor with a thud. "Christ," she swore, grumbling.  
  
Picking herself up, Filly tried to make it to the door and realized she was still in her clothes from the night before. Shrugging, she turned the knob and stumbled down the hall towards the bathroom. Shutting the bathroom door behind her, Filly forgot to lock it, and instead turned on the water in the shower. That's what she would do - have a nice, cold shower to get over her hangover, and the thoughts of Mr. Grumpy Pants. She stripped herself of the alcohol-flavored clothing and shivered as the water hit her.  
  
Humming to herself, Filly didn't hear the door creak open, and a sleepy Skittery walk in.   
  
Skittery grinned roguishly as he stripped down to nothing and quietly crept towards the brightly patterned shower curtain. "And you thought you could escape me so easily!" he said over dramatically, half blinded by the steam as he hopped into the shower. Whiskey had left the room early, winking at him seductively, so Skittery knew she just had to be waiting for him in the shower.  
  
Covering a shriek, Filly didn't know what to do. She caught herself squinting at Skittery's pecks through the steam, and then her eyes started to go lower before she turned away. This wasn't happening! Skittery had a girl. He had… Spot's leftovers basically – the neighborhood bicycle… but still! He had to think she was Whiskey!  
  
"C'mon baby, don't turn around. Mr. Happy is looking for some cheering up," Skittery whined. He reached out and started to slowly massage Filly's shoulders.  
  
Filly was so torn. His hands were like magic, massaging all the tension out of her muscles, but on the other hand… he had a girl! Without her even noticing, Filly let out a slight moan, followed by an 'eep' once she figured out what she had done.  
  
"What's wrong Satan?" he smirked, using Whiskey's nickname. "Am I bigger than usual?" he asked and pressed up against her. One glorious night with a woman and Skittery decided to let the ego flourish.  
  
Filly's eyes widened when Skittery started to slide his hands around her chest. No, this couldn't happen. Eventually he'd figure it out and then there would be hell to pay. Pushing away, Filly turned around and waved her arms frantically in the air. "Skittery, you're NAKED AGAIN!" she screeched.  
  
Skittery blinked…. repeatedly. The steam still made it hard to make out the other figure in the shower, but as soon as she had screeched the 'naked' part, he knew it wasn't Satan sharing a revealing experience with him. "FILLY?!" he yelled and backed off. "What the fuck are you doing in here?"  
  
"What does it look like, _Mr. Happy_?" she asked. "TAKING A SHOWER!"  
  
"Where's Whiskey?" Skittery asked, forgetting that he was still in the shower butt naked.  
  
"How would I know!" Filly shouted. "Would you please _leave_ so I can finish!"  
  
Some of the steam had cleared from all the waving of arms and Skittery found himself taking a glance, then he stumbled backwards, and fell on his ass. "Fuck!"  
  
Laughing, but not before grabbing the shower curtain and covering herself, Filly pointed at the now naked and fallen Skittery. "You're still naked," she pointed out gleefully. "Aww, is the big, bad Mr. Happy getting a little shy?" Filly asked as the cold air caused Skittery's assets to shrink dramatically.  
  
Glaring, Skittery pushed himself up off the ground and grabbed a towel, covering himself as he picked up his clothes. "You wanted Mr. Happy, and don't deny it!" he shouted on his way out the door.   



	6. Chapter Six

_ -//-Chapter 6--\\-_

  
Blaze pushed her blonde hair away from her neck, and pulled herself out of bed. There was screaming again. It was too damn early in the morning. How dare they wake her up! She got no respect around this house. All were thoughts she mutinously tossed around her head, as she stumbled into the shower.  
  
Ten minutes later, after she washed, lathered and repeated, she headed down the stairs, her mind now appalled that Bumlets had slept through the screaming and she hadn't managed to. What the hell did they have to scream about at, Blaze blinked at her watch, 11:43 in the morning?  
  
Stopping at the door of the kitchen, Blaze took in Filly eating toast, listening to KISS, her head buried in an old guitar magazine, with a great Bon Jovi interview with Richie Sambora. Across the table, staring blankly into a bowl of Fruit Loops, was Skittery's new groupie, watching the cereal as if she expected it to ravage her.  
  
"Morning..?" Blaze called, her voice thick with early morning croak. "So... screaming... good job..." Blaze said sarcastically, stumbling over to the fridge to pull out the orange juice.  
  
Whiskey and Filly both looked up blankly at Blaze and said together, "Huh?"  
  
Blaze looked between the two girls. Originally she had thought it had been them going at it - would go some way to explaining why Filly had acted like she had last night. Obviously it wasn't them... well, not both of them. Blaze was kinda thankful - it made the 'Mr. Happy' remark less worrying.  
  
Blaze lent against the sink drinking her glass - she wasn't as cave-like as the guys, she knew the meaning of glasses of orange juice. Filly ducked her head back behind her magazine, nibbling on her toast, with a disgusting black substance on it. Vegemite, Filly called it, she loved it. But the smell was enough to send even Spot scuttling, while Whiskey went back to her cereal.  
  
Thumping down the stairs Skittery too stopped a second at the kitchen doorway, scanning, and expertly avoiding Filly's vague direction. Walking slowly towards Whiskey, Mr.-Cool-I-Got-Laid-And-I-Know-You-All-Know, as he wrapped his arms around Whiskey's waist and bent to nibble on her neck. "I finally found you then..." Skittery said pointedly.  
  
Filly slammed her magazine on the table, scowled furiously in the vague direction of Skittery, avoiding eye contact, and stormed through the kitchen and straight into Autumn's room, while Blaze watched the entire scene mildly curious.  
  
"Auty... get up... get up, come for a jog with me... move over Jack. Ohh save it, I've seen it before... no need to get all macho... in fact I say much the same thing... OMPH..." Filly's loud speech was cut off with what the occupants of the kitchen could only assume was, Autumn's pillow, or her fist, hitting Filly's face.  
  
A few seconds later, Filly said loudly, in clipped dignity, "All you had to say..." a door was slammed shut, resoundingly, "was... not now!" Filly trailed off. Blaze, Whiskey, and Skittery all watched as Filly walked airily through the kitchen, no visible bruises, leading them to think it was just a pillow, and announced, "I'm going for a jog..." and then she headed out the back door.  
  
"As fun as it has been, I think I'm going to go upstairs, and practise..." Blaze said less than discreetly. Obviously, the lead guitarist, and the bass guitarist had, had the argument.  
  
Blaze headed up the stairs to her room, careless to the fact that Bumlets would probably still be snoring away. As she entered her room Blaze pondered, "I wonder what the 'Mr Happy' remark was about."  
  
Bumlets was lying face down, one arm flung off the bed, and his nose scrunched into the pillow. Blaze always wondered how he could sleep through even an earthquake, while she was up at the first sounds of noise. As it was after twelve, Blaze decided that it was time for Bumlets to get up, plus she could get in some practicing as well.  
  
Whipping the sheet off the bed, Blaze snickered at the sight before her and grabbed her drumsticks. She still wanted to practice, and she still wanted him to get up, so there was only one way to go about that. Straddling his legs, Blaze began to tap out the distinct drum line to _Always_ on his rear. A few bars into the song, Bumlets' head popped up and he belted out "This Romeo is bleedin', but you can't see his blood…"  
  
"Morning," Blaze grinned.  
  
Bumlets flipped around, causing Blaze to flop down beside him. "What… where… why does my ass hurt?"  
  
Throwing the drumsticks off the bed, Blaze shrugged. "You must have a sensitive ass," she reasoned.  
  
"That or someone just decided to use it as a practice pad," he grumbled. "Why are you waking me up so early?" He squinted and looked at the clock. "It's only noon…"  
  
"Because… because…" Blaze stumbled. _Because you slept through the racket this morning and that ain't fair! _she wanted to scream.  
  
"What? Is it my handsome face that you just could not live without? My voice that drives you insane with lust? What!" he demanded with a smirk.  
  
Blaze rolled her eyes. "If you even hint at an ego like Spot's I'm throwing you out of here faster than you can say 'Bon Jovi is the greatest band ever'."  
  
Grinning devilishly, Bumlets slipped his hands behind his head and stretched out on the bed. "Someone is a little overdressed for the current situation."  
  
Blaze poked his side. "No, someone is a little _under_dressed for the time of day. Get up and practice with me. Now."  
  
"I don't want to," Bumlets grumbled. "It's Saturday and we just practiced last night. I claim this to be a no practice holiday."  
  
Blaze scoffed, but then turned on the charm. "But Bums, if you practice with me, there are benefits," she whispered in his ear.  
  
"Benefits?"  
  
Blaze nodded. "Yep, you know… bed benefits…" she casually stated.  
  
"Can't the benefits come first?" he whined.  
  
"No."  
  
Rolling out of bed, Bumlets proceeded to get dressed. "Okay, practice now, benefits as soon as we get done," he stated.  
  
_ That was too easy…_ Nodding, Blaze grabbed her drumsticks. "Deal."  


  



	7. Chapter Seven

_

-//-Chapter 7--\\-

_   
Filly didn't know where she was jogging to, she just wanted to get out of the house. Something wasn't right, and she was afraid to figure out what it was. Of course, Skittery had something to do with it. Why did Skittery having a groupie affect her so?  
  
Blindly jogging on, Filly found herself out of Keansburg but she wasn't quite sure where she was… until she stopped and her mouth dropped open. There she was, drenched in sweat, heavily breathing, and standing outside the gates to none other than Jon Bon Jovi's house.  
  
The way the sun was capturing the scene, Filly felt like she was at the gates of Heaven. Mecca. Nirvana. Eden. Whatever you wanted to call paradise on earth! Filly blinked, and pulled in a DEEP gulp of air. Jon Bon Jovi's house, glowing like a bronzed guitar of... of... well... Jon Bon Jovi!  
  
Her whole body pressed against the gates of the home. An involuntary motion, for sure. She could never EVER comprehend being anywhere NEAR, Jon. She'd spazz and completely lose it without someone else to stop her.  
  
Thoughts of going in there didn't even cross her mind.  
  
Well they did... but they were usually suffix-ed with restraining orders and stalker claims.  
  
She was at the gate of her idol's home. Where he lived. And slept. And probably practised. Jon Bon Jovi's home! His home! Happy day! His private retreat. She bet Jon Bon Jovi wasn't in love with his bassist. While, certainly his wife wouldn't approve.  
  
Wait... rewind... in love with his bassist? Where that had come from she didn't really know. Sure she was in love with Skittery but that had nothing... Filly blinked once, completely stopping all train of her thoughts... in love with Skittery.  
  
She didn't love dependable, friendly, comfortable, grumpy, sweet Skittery. If you loved people you obsessed about the smallest things they did, and got all cutesy about them. She didn't think about Skittery's cute little way he wrinkled his nose, and pulled a hilarious face of distaste, and how he actually seemed to listen when she spoke.   
  
And surely if she loved Skittery she'd smile ever time she thought about him. Not to mention jealousy... if she loved Skittery she'd be really jealous that he was sleeping with that little whore, Spot rejected, walking around like a bitch in heat... Ohhh crap!  
  
Well... at least she could take some comfort in the fact that she wasn't smiling and giggling like a blonde headed twit, when she thought about him. Filly touched her lips with her fingers... just to make sure.  
  
" Why the hell did I have to find this out when I'm right in front of Jon's palace," Filly sighed and muttered distressed. This place of divine right, and beauty, and all over kick-assedness.  
  
She should only be concentrating to the good things here. The band things, and how they were going to make it big. And how her room was big enough to fit in Skittery's stuff as well as hers.  
  
Filly's eyebrows drew together in fury with herself. Stop listening to 'Mr Happy's' best friend.   
  
Filly tried to concentrate on Bon Jovi goodness. Her eye's closed as she tried to soak up the radiating light of Jon's awesome guitar ability. Even from outside his house.  
  
Ohhh you know you wanted him in that shower. If you knew your weren't gonna get caught you would have let him have his...  
  
"OKAY! OKAY!! I would have jumped him quicker then Spot does a groupie!" Filly shouted out loud in frustration.  
  
At the exact moment the words left her lips, a police siren, cried loudly. Not even a block away, Filly was sure.  
  
"They're coming to get me!" Filly whispered hysterically... prying her arms from the gate, that she was clutching her chest to, as if hoping to melt through them.   
  
Wiping her sweaty palms on her legs, Filly, looked left and right of the street and jogged casually across, turning and going back towards home... if she had a hood she would have flipped that over her head, when she came to the end of the street. She bolted away from the Bon Jovi Mecca that had called her, the sound of the sirens, and her newfound plan haunting her all the way home.  
  


~~

  
  
"Filly, is that you?" Autumn questioned of the sweat-soaked girl in front of her. Filly had pounded on the door, unable to open it herself, and collapsed on the front porch.  
  
"Filly… me… yes," Filly breathed heavily.  
  
"Where the hell did you go?" Autumn asked as she dragged Filly inside.  
  
"Mecca," was all she could respond before passing out.  



	8. Chapter Eight

Thanks to Bookie, Annie, and Morning Dew! Filly and I appreciate it! 

* * *

  
  
_

-//-Chapter 8--\\-

_   
The doorbell ringing an hour later, Autumn sprung to the door again, as it seemed no one else knew how to answer a dang door.  
  
Opening it quickly, Autumn had to fight to keep her mouth from hitting the ground. "Oh, Mr. Lanigan… Mrs. Lanigan… We didn't expect you today…" Autumn smiled meekly.  
  
"It's Saturday. You know we visit on Saturdays," Mrs. Lanigan pointed out. Blaze's parents always came by for a visit, even though the band knew it was to check up on how things were going. They knew if the Lanigans ever found something terribly awry , they would take their daughter away from the hell hole and make her watch Nickelodeon nonstop to purify her again.  
  
"Right! Where is my head…"_ This is bad, very bad._ "Filly, why don't you get them something to drink while I get Blaze."  
  
Nodding, Filly hurried into the kitchen, hoping that they had something to drink besides orange juice and beer. "Water! Water is good. Water is pure. Water won't get us in deep shit," she mumbled to herself as she fretted to clean out two glasses.  
  
Mr. Lanigan chuckled. "Do you all still insist on using those band nicknames? Gabrielle is a perfectly good name for a rock band member."  
  
Autumn laughed lightly. "Well you know Bl… er Gabi… She loves that nickname." Leading them into the living room, Autumn gestured for them to take a seat on the couch as she wearily looked upstairs.  
  
"I'll just go get your daughter. She must be practicing away up there in her room," Autumn smiled sweetly as she bounded up the stairs.  
  
Knocking lightly, Autumn whispered into the door's frame. "Blaze… Blaaaaaze… your par…" Just as she was about to finish the sentence, a loud moan seeped through the door.  
  
"Oh crap…" Autumn whispered. As she started to whisper to Blaze again, she turned to see Mrs. Lanigan already climbing the steps.  
  
Autumn was hit with a barrage of questions from the worried mother. "Was that my Gabi? Is she alright? Is she sick?"   
  
"I, uh, um…" Autumn stuttered. She backed away from the door, knowing that as soon as Mrs. Lanigan found out what was going on, this house would be in uproar.  
  
Ignoring Autumn's words, Mrs. Lanigan knocked on the door. "Honey? Are you okay?"  
  
"Mom?!" shouted Blaze. _Oh shit. _This was horrible. Blaze's father was extremely old fashioned, and it was a miracle she was allowed to live here in the first place, but if she was caught with a boy in her room, there would be hell to pay.  
  
"Yes dear! Did you forget it's Saturday? Are you okay in there?" her mother answered.  
  


"I… I… Fine! I'm fine! Just… um, gimme a second…" she called back.  
  
"Something is wrong, isn't it?" Mrs. Lanigan frowned. "You must be sick. Dear, open the door, let me have a look at you."  
  
"Bums, off!" she hissed.  
  
"One… second…" Bumlets panted.  
  
"Offffff!" she glared.  
  
"Almost…"  
  
Rolling her eyes, Blaze heaved Bumlets off of her and he crashed to the ground. Both wincing at the sound that made, Bumlets grabbed his pants as Blaze shoved the rest of his clothes under the bed, along with anything else that was sure to get her in major trouble.  
  
"What was that?" Mrs. Lanigan asked. "Did you fall?"  
  
"No, no, just knocked something over! One second mother!"  
  
Scrambling around the room Blaze continued to hide as much as she could. "Cigarettes, beer cans, ack! Playboys," she hissed, conducting a verbal inventory as she pushed things under the bed and in the closet. "Why do you need those playboys anyway?!" Blaze muttered.  
  
Ignoring her question, Bumlets asked one of his own. "Where am I gonna hide?"  
  
Spinning around in circles, Blaze threw up her hands. "Get out the window," she snapped. As his eyes widened, Blaze frowned. "Just for a few minutes. Go!"  
  
Groaning, Bumlets shoved open the window and climbed out. Lucky for him the garage was adjacent to their room. His bare feet hitting the cool roof of the garage, Bumlets crouched down under the window and pouted. "I hate interrupting the lovestick!" he whined to himself.  
  
With Bumlets out the window, Blaze pulled the window shade down, and finally noticed that she was stark naked. Panicking, she threw on a shirt, hid anything else that looked like incriminating paraphernalia, unlocked the door, and hopped into bed, pulling up the blanket to her chin. "Come in!"  
  
Bursting in the door, Mrs. Lanigan frowned at her daughter. "You are sick! Why didn't you call me? Do you even have the proper medications to combat this? Have you taken Vitamin C? What about orange juice? Coughing? Sore throat? Is your nose running?"  
  
"M-mom, I'm fine… just a little under the weather."  
  
"You look terrible!" Feeling Blaze's forehead, Mrs. Lanigan frowned. "You're all warm and sweating! You have a fever most definitely."  
  
Blaze squirmed. "It can't be that bad Mom. I'm fine, I just need rest."  
  
Shaking her head, Mrs. Lanigan looked around the room. "It's so dark in here… you need some light. That will help. And we'll get you some soup and some ginger ale." She started towards the window.  
  
"No!" Blaze shouted. "Erm, I mean no Mom. I can't sleep with the shade open. Keep it down," she pleaded. She knew if her mother opened the shade and saw a half-naked boy on the roof, doomsday would be upon her.  
  
Shrugging, Mrs. Lanigan turned to her daughter again. "Dear, you need to eat better. None of this pizza and burgers everyday. And don't tell me that's not what you eat. Your garbage outside is piled high with pizza boxes."  
  
"I'm not the only one here… it's not all I eat," Blaze mumbled and gave her mother the 'don't patronize me' look.  
  
Mrs. Lanigan ignored her daughter as her eyes skimmed the room, looking for anything considered 'hellish' by her standards. "I'm going over to Pathmark to get you some good food, and not another word about it."  
  
Groaning, Blaze pulled the covers over her head. "Yes Mom."  
  
In an instant her mother was rushing down the stairs to collect Mr. Lanigan. "We'll be right back!" she called as the front door shut behind them.  
  
As soon as Filly and Autumn heard the car start up, they rushed around the house, cleaning up anything they could find.  
  
"We haven't got much time!" Filly screeched. "Hide the beer! Hide the beer!"  
  
Nodding, Autumn collected the alcohol from the fridge and raced it up to her room, hiding it in a drawer she specifically kept empty for just this occasion.  
  
"Vacuum up the potato chips!" Autumn called down the stairs. "And don't forget to cover the stains Spot created in the living room!" She shuddered as she said the last part.  
  
Bumlets cowered against the house as he watched the Lanigan's car drive off. As soon as they turned the corner, Bumlets rushed into the room.  
  
"That was quick!" he grinned.  
  
"They're coming back…" Blaze groaned without peeking her head out from under the covers. "Mom thinks I'm sick so she went to get me meds and food from the store."  
  
Pouting, Bumlets stripped off his jeans. "Then that doesn't give us much time!" Climbing under the covers, Bumlets began to finish what they had already started.  



	9. Chapter Nine

Thanks to Snorts! 

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-//-Chapter 9--\\-  


_ Filly and Autumn were sitting at the spotless kitchen table, playing snap, when Mr. and Mrs. Lanigan knocked on the door sharply. Manager and guitarist alike looked at each other, slowly putting the cards on the table, probably to face a fate of being covered with rock magazines, with spilt beer, left-over pizza bits stuck on it, and if they were lucky Spot or Skittery might wake up with one of them stuck to their head.  
  
Both girls looked at each other and rose from the table in mirror images. Filly looked at the door then Autumn before casually saying, "well you're the manager... the leader, and everyone knows the leader goes first."  
  
Autumn coughed as Blaze's parents knocked again. She looked at Filly is indignation, "Well you're the guitarist, and everyone knows the guitarist is the butler!" Autumn hissed and pushed Filly towards the door.  
  
Filly glared at Autumn and her butler remark. Creeping towards the door, Filly took a sharp left and ran up the stairs, only to almost be knocked down as a shirtless Bumlets stumbled quickly down the stairs. Autumn dived for the door on the Lanigan's 5th attempt at getting some attention.  
  
Bumlets reached out to steady his guitarist, Autumn took a moment to take up a religious faith, and pray heartily to the gods, Filly found herself eye to chest, and she wasn't exactly disgusted by the view, and Mr. and Mrs. Lanigan were standing at the base of the stairs, looking up at Filly and that boy Mrs. Lanigan was SURE her daughter had some kind of a... a... crush on.  
  
"Er... Thanks... Bums... I was just... er... coming up to get you! Yeah... um... remember I have to... er... take you shopping, for... a... a... SHIRT! Yes, your first shirt... well you know not your first shirt but... remember it's a fitting, for your Band Shirt." Filly turned, hoping to smuggle the incriminating evidence of the Lanigan's daughter's pastimes right out under their noses.  
  
Smiling as she tried to slip around the Lanigan's, Bumlets pulled along by an arm, Filly smiled and said, "You know bands. You need… instruments, shirts... and... er... um... talent... yeah... not that you can buy talent because that's not where we're going... we're going to get shirts. Because we don't walk around without shirts normally, just when we are going to buy... shirts... door... there... I'm going..." Filly mumbled, cursing the fact she couldn't lie to save herself.  
  
Filly exited the house, pulling shirtless-Bumlets along behind her, closing the door happily as she and her hostage... er... companion, started off on the short 3 blocks walk to band friend and groupie, Busy's place, like a second home to the band, and a second, second home to Spot.  
  
Meanwhile in the house Mr. and Mrs. Lanigan where doing their best to ignore what had just happened and headed upstairs to assault... er... comfort their ailing daughter.  
  
Autumn fell on the couch the moment she saw the Lanigans turn into Blaze's room. Dropping the back of her hand onto her forehead, Autumn sighed loudly. She had survived. Years of playing 'statues' at school finally paid off.  
  
Autumn closed her eyes tighter against the sounds of shuffling feet and giggles. Someone was back... and she got the feeling they weren't home to practice their instruments anyway... well their MUSICAL instruments any how.  
  
She opened one eye and waited until she saw the back of Skittery and Whiskey's heads heading up the stairs where the Lanigan's would be in their daughters' room, JUST down from Skittery's OWN room - not a good idea to let them get all the way up there. They might not be able to restrain themselves.  
  
"Hoy! Guys! It's Saturday!" Autumn shared sitting up on the couch with a groan. She had a feeling it was going to be a long afternoon. Hell not only any afternoon but the looming conversation showed all signs of being hellish.  
  
"Yeah we know! It's written on the ticket the police gave us!" Whiskey shared casually, as a shiver of doom crept down Autumn's spine, but she simply refused to question the ticket comment!  
  
"Mr. and Mrs. Lanigan are upstairs, looking after poor sick Blaze. Came down with a case of the sweats if you know what I mean? Who am I kidding of course YOU do!" Autumn corrected herself tiredly.  
  
Skittery and Whiskey's face's both fell instantly, making a somewhat irritated Autumn feel like she'd just kicked two puppies - puppies in heat, definitely, but puppies all the same. With another sigh, which seemed to quickly be becoming her mantra Autumn pointed to the door and informed, "Filly and Bumlets have gone to Busy's. Why don't you go pull up a room there? I'm sure Busy won't mind."  
  
As she watched them bound out the door, their tongues lolling desperately out the side of there mouths, Autumn found herself still drawing the comparison of puppies. And she thought that was more then just sad. Again Autumn was left wondering if she was the only sane person in the house. And if she was so sane why was she caught up with 'Blaze of Glory?'  



End file.
